China’s state-run news agency, Xinhua, reported an Atlas published in 1994 “clearly” shows Huangyan Dao (Scarborough Shoal) and other key islands in the South China Sea row are part of China’s territory.

The Atlas that includes the islands as part of Chinese domain was published by renowned US map publishing house.

According to a retired Chinese-American professor, Chia-Chi Tsui, the 1994 revised edition of the Illustrated Atlas of the World published by the Chicago-based Rand McNally, clearly discloses that Huangyan Dao, Nansha Islands and Xisha Islands fall under China’s jurisdiction.

Tsui also added that the Illustrated Atlas was published by a recognized names in American map publishing, the map states that Huanyan Dao is out of the 118 degrees east longitude – the western limit of Philippine territory.

He also said in an interview with Xinhua, that the 1898 Treaty of Paris, 1900 Treaty of Washington and 1930 Convention between the United States and Great Britain all give the Western limit of the Philippine territory at 118 degrees east longitude, which was he claimed as reaffirms by the latter’s 1935 Constitution.

The said map also shows the key islands are marked by Chinese Pinyin, while other territories in Southeast Asia are marked with English words.

Tsui, the owner of the map, also points out that word “China” is clearly written under the mark of Xisha Islands and Nansha Islands on the map.

Rand McNally, which was founded in 1856, has no respond to Xinhua’s inquiry about the changes to the 1994 edition of the map.

The tension in the region was brought up by the Philippines in the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the latter ruled favoring Philippines as the one which owns the disputed areas.

China boycotted all the International Tribunal proceedings, in which they said the court has no jurisdiction on the issue.